I’m Chairman, North America of Landor Associates, a brand consulting and design firm that specializes in creating agile brands that thrive in today’s disruptive, changing market. I work with some of the most powerful brands in the world, and oversee Landor’s new business efforts in North America. I’m also author of three books, The Edge: 50 Tips from Brands that Lead, BrandDigital, and BrandSimple. I’m interested in general business trends and write about their impact on brands. I’ve worked with corporate and consumer brands in a wide range of industries including: Diageo, FedEx, GE, J&J, the NBA, P&G, and Verizon.

Will Tim Tebow Become the Kim Kardashian of QB Brands? Stay Tuned.

Where will you be on December 18th? If you’re a football fan, chances are that you’ll be watching Tim Tebow take on Tom Brady during the match-up between the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots, a game already won by CBS which battled NBC for airing rights. And, if you’re a football fan, you’ll most likely be interested in things like passing percentages, tricky hand-offs, and brilliant audibles. But, if you’re a football fan and a branding professional, you’ll be interested in something else: How far can the Tim Tebow brand go without running over the line; not the goal line, but the branding survival line?

For those who prefer spending Sundays with a crossword puzzle, Tim Tebow is the Broncos quarterback who has come under fire and been in the media spotlight for his outspoken religious views. He’s got his own web site, a Twitter feed, and has even had football terms named for him: “Tebowing,” a neologism derived from his propensity to kneel and pray on the field of play, and the “Tebow Rule,” which states that players cannot use black eye paint, intended to shade their eyes from the sun, to promote religious beliefs. This Heisman Trophy winner from the University of Florida has become one of the most polarizing figures in sports, and not necessarily because of his passing, his hand-offs, or his audibles.

Now, even non-football fans know that quarterbacks including “Broadway Joe” Namath, “Cool Joe” Montana, and “Dandy Don” Meredith have made for great brands. These guys, like any and all strong brands, had a clear-cut identity – we knew what they stood for – and a very clear idea of how to keep this identity alive in the minds of those who loved them, be it their signature moves, signature hairstyles, or signature sign-offs, all distinctive and appropriate branding applications.

But, as is the case with all successful brands, especially those in hot categories like sports, entertainment, and fashion, the challenge is to find the edge and hang onto that edge without going over the edge. To change sports metaphors for a second, it’s sort of like a surfer balancing on a wave. You have to be alert to several things at once: the height of the wave, the speed of the wave, the wind, and even the currents running beneath the surface of the water. To ride the wave successfully, you have to respond to all of these dynamics simultaneously, making quick almost intuitive adjustments to keep your balance. Too much of anything, and your brand is under water. Too much sex (remember the Abercrombie and Fitch fracas?), too much hype (hello Kardashians) or in-your-face religious ardor, Tebow’s signature branding app, can be, well, just too much for even the most tolerant brand fan to put up with.

From my Monday morning quarterback view as both a football and branding guy, I’d tell Tim Tebow to watch out. He’s a badge brand: People may wear his jersey and support his views to define who they are. But they won’t continue to do so if he makes them feel uncomfortable. What’s more, the NFL, itself, is struggling with the Tebow brand. The NFL prides itself on being a brand for Middle America – appeal to everyone, offend no one. As much as they may like the Nielsen ratings, they know touting religion to an extreme during its games is unsportsmanlike conduct. Hey, Tim, build your brand on playing ball and making touchdowns. If you’re going to step over any line, make sure it is the goal line.

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